So at this point I am posting a blog that was written about 3 weeks to a month ago. I am sorry for the delay. I see that I haven't posted one blog since October, which is bad and I need to get back to writing again.
Many days, when I need a break from the office and a quiet, cute place to work, I venture down the street to Wilhelmina’s to enjoy a pot of tea, a cup of coffee, and some insanely delicious little treat. Everyday my piece of cake, cupcake, brownie, or pie comes out decorated in some meticulously creative way. There is always some fruit sliced and arranged on the side, with some flower (today we have a pansy) and some sauce. Today my brownie comes complete with a coffeecake crumble on top then some sauce and ice cream, of course plus the slices of apples and oranges and my sweet pansy. As I enjoy my chamomile tea from some delicate china, I wonder why I never have a camera with me when I am here. I will have to start bringing one. (I should be honest and say that probably will not happen). Sorry, break for a bite. The report: the brownie is warm and gooey, which is complemented by the crunch of the crumble and walnuts and the cold, vanilla ice cream. Forget the Big Hole if you are coming to Kimberley and just come to this quaint little café to enjoy whatever sweets they are offering that day. I have yet to have something that I didn’t like here, though I tried the strawberry cheesecake and I didn’t like it, too cheesy, but that is how all of the cheesecakes are here.
I guess this short blurb about my hideout makes it seem like we don’t do much work here, but oh contraire, my friends. I worked my first ever 60-hour-week last week; too bad for cost share I can only claim 40 hours. Maybe I am in the makings of a workaholic, hmmm. It would be a bad thing if I hated my job (like an old roommate I had) and worked these hours, but luckily there is not too much to hate about my job, aside from my colleague Thuso Jones, of course. (Thuso if you ever read this, I think only you will understand). Thuso and I have a nice love-hate relationship; okay I’m beginning to think I have that relationship with most people. Maybe it is me. It’s cool though because it brings a little comedy into the office. For the most part I think we all have a nice rapport in the GRS Kim office. Some days there are misunderstanding, miscommunications, and frustrations, but at the end of the day we usually manage to laugh about something.
This week we have a few visitors in the office; one from Cape Town and one from Port Elizabeth. We have Matt Streng here from CT and he is the Director of Programs. Then we have Mpumi here from Port Elizabeth; he used to be the site coordinator there, but was recently promoted to something else, but I have no idea what. He does something with systems; he keeps telling me that he is going to analyze our systems, whatever that means. Maybe I will learn tomorrow at our 3-5 hour meeting. Hope it is not boring.
Today I played the role of assistant coach at an intervention. Unfortunately, it was at a school where the kids spoke very little English and mostly Afrikaans, so communication was limited, but it was still solid. I think mostly the kids just liked having a different face, especially a white one from America. I am finding that when you really get involved with the kids and enjoy yourself with the program, it makes the kids want to interact and behave, while also having some fun. I think kids respond to assertiveness with a little humor. Once you allow yourself to become angry or frustrated with the kids, they are given all control of the situation. Our coaches need to be careful with that; some of them have a short temper, which can pass the control of the class right over to the kids very quickly. Some of our coaches are really good with the kids and they always seem to get the results that we all work to achieve. I feel like it is always the same coaches that come out of practice 6 and get the kids to open up and it is always the same coaches who come out and say that their kids don’t want the intervention to end or for the coaches to leave.
Now it sounds like all work and no play, but not to worry I do get some playtime. About a month ago I was in Bloemfontein for the Macufe Festival. It was a weeklong festival featuring different music styles, different arts and crafts, different cultural events, and all culminated in the Macufe Cup (S.A. premiership game) on Sunday. We caught the Jazz night and the Macufe Cup game. Both were pretty spectacular. I think a lot that comes from good company (i.e. some of the Maseru crew, crazy local South Africans). I then headed up to Maseru for the Maseru Charity concert a few weekends ago to see Freshlyground play (think Waka Waka with Shakira). It is always just nice to get out of Kim for a while.
